Edward J. Burns

Edward James Burns (born October 7, 1957) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has served as the Bishop of Dallas, Texas, since 2017. He was previously the Bishop of Juneau, Alaska.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Edward James Burns
Bishop of Dallas
Edward Burns at the Alaska State Capitol in March 2013.
Archdiocese	San Antonio
Diocese	Dallas
Appointed	December 13, 2016
Installed	February 9, 2017
Predecessor	Kevin Farrell
Orders
Ordination	June 25, 1983 by Vincent Leonard
Consecration	March 3, 2009 by David Zubik, Roger Schwietz, and Donald Wuerl
Personal details
Birth name	Edward James Burns
Born	October 7, 1957 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Previous post	Bishop of Juneau
Alma mater	Duquesne University (B.A.) Mount Saint Mary's Seminary and University (D.D., S.T.D.)
Motto	PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE
Coat of arms

Styles of Edward James Burns
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

Before becoming a bishop, he spent nine years working for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and as bishop has filled various position there, currently Chairman of the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People and a member of its Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions. He speaks Spanish as well as English.[1]

Biography

Early life and education

Edward Burns was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Donald and Geraldine (née Little) Burns; he has a brother, Robert. He attended Lincoln High School in Ellwood City. He attended Saint Paul Seminary at Duquesne University, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and sociology. He also earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Master of Theology degree from Mount St. Mary's Seminary at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.[2]

Ordination and ministry

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Vincent Leonard on June 25, 1983, and then served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania and Immaculate Conception in Washington, Pennsylvania. In 1991, Burns was made Vocations Director and Vice-Rector of St. Paul Seminary in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, where he became Rector in 1996.

He was also executive director of the Secretariat for Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for nine years beginning in 1999. Under his leadership that office produced an award-winning DVD Fishers of Men on the lives of priests. He published a booklet, We Were There, that described the experiences of priests who served at the sites of destruction on 9/11.

In 2008, he returned to his posts as rector of St. Paul Seminary and vocations director for the Pittsburgh diocese. In 2002 he was co-chairman of a Vatican-ordered congress on vocations in North America and in 2005-06 he provided support for a Vatican review of all Catholic seminaries in the U.S.[3] He received the title of Monsignor in 2006.[1]

Bishop of Juneau

Coat of Arms as Bishop of Juneau

On January 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Burns the fifth bishop of Juneau, Alaska.[3] a diocese with a Catholic population of 6,100 in southeastern Alaska.[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following March 3 at the St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh from Bishop David Zubik, with Archbishops Roger Schweitz, OMI, and Donald Cardinal Wuerl serving as co-consecrators; this was separate from his installation ceremony for the convenience of friends in the 48 contiguous United States, because of the distance to Alaska. He chose as his episcopal motto "Pray with Confidence".[4] He was installed in Juneau on April 2, 2009.

Bishop of Dallas

On December 13, 2016, Pope Francis appointed Burns the eighth Bishop of Dallas, Texas, to succeed Kevin Farrell, who was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life on September 1, 2016[5] (and would be elevated to Cardinal before the end of 2016). His installation was on February 9, 2017, at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe.[6]

See also

• Catholic Church hierarchy
• Catholic Church in the United States
• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops

References

1. Brockhaus, Hannah (December 13, 2016). "Juneau bishop to head Dallas diocese". CRUX. Catholic News Agency. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
2. "Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas: Most Reverend Edward J. Burns: Curriculum Vitae". Catholic Diocese of Dallas. Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
3. Rodgers, Ann (January 20, 2009). "Local priest appointed bishop of Juneau, Alaska". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
4. Rodgers, Ann (March 4, 2009). "Burns ordained here as bishop in Alaska". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
5. Farmer, Liz (December 13, 2016). "Pope picks bishop from Alaska to lead Diocese of Dallas". Dallas News. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
6. "Pope Francis Appoints New Bishop for the Diocese of Dallas". NBC DFW. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas Official Site